Era cuestión de horas que una de las miles de webs online de venta de música diera todos los detalles de la reedición del 50 aniversario de Tubular Bells, y al final, ha sucedido. Esta madrugada, la web bravado.de, ha listado tanto el CD como el doble LP, completando la información que teníamos a medias, incluyendo el tracklist definitivo del LP también.
Empecemos con el comunicado de prensa:
In 1973, a young, largely unknown 20-year-old released his debut album, the first release on a brand-new label. The artist was Mike Oldfield, the album Tubular Bells and the label, Virgin Records. The album became a phenomenon, topping the UK charts, winning a Grammy; giving a green light to his career. Its popularity and notoriety was secured by its main theme being featured in The Exorcist, the film which became a global sensation.
This 50th Anniversary celebration edition of Tubular Bells, overseen by Mike Oldfield, contains a brand new half-speed Abbey Road master of the original album, plus a second album that unites several beguiling versions of Oldfield’s masterwork for the first time.
Receiving its first outing on vinyl is Tubular X, that Mike recorded in 1998 for an X-Files album*; Mike’s remix collaboration with York, the original Mike Oldfield’s Single (Theme From Tubular Bells)* and, for the first time since a very limited run in 2012, Mike’s stunning Tubular Bells/In Dulci Jubilo (Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games).Of particular interest brand new eight-minute track Tubular Bells 4 Intro, which may well be the last thing ever recorded by Oldfield.
Mike Oldfield retired from releasing music in 2018, after giving up touring many years previously. In the months after his last album, Return To Ommadawn in 2017, Oldfield toyed with going the whole way and making a fourth and final instalment of Tubular Bells in time for its 50th anniversary. Work began in earnest, and Mike felt he had finally cracked the secret of being able to successfully return to and rework the opening motif. A fascinating eight-minute taster was sent to his A&R team. And then, nothing. Mike decided against continuing. Five years later, this final paragraph of the Tubular Bells story is being released as part of this 50th anniversary celebration.
Sin duda, es curioso el último párrafo, donde se especifica que en 2017, Oldfield mandó a la discográfica los 8 minutos que escucharemos en esta reedición de Tubular Bells 4, y desde entonces, nada más se supo. Así, se da a entender que efectivamente y muy probablemente, cualquier movimiento que hemos visto en los últimos 6 años, no haya sido ni el propio Oldfield, y haya sido su hermana Sally la cual parece estar más en activo últimamente que el propio Oldfield y de hecho ha hablado varias veces en voz de su hermano, confirmando así en cierta medida que la situación no debe ser muy agraciada para nuestro ídolo.
Y el tracklist se confirma de la siguiente manera:
